Reversible automatic lock slider



June 12, 1962 M. GODFREY ETAL 3,0 8, 7

REVERSIBLE AUTOMATIC LOCK SLIDER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 5, 1960 k V SEW H mm M T W .K MW: 0 60 r W w M l r Ma 06 MJ June 12, 1962 M. GODFREY ETAL 3,038,227

REVERSIBLE AUTOMATIC LOCK SLIDER Filed Aug. 5, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 HVVENTURS June 12, 1962 M. 1.. GODFREY ETAL 3,038,227

REVERSIBLE AUTOMATIC LOCK SLIDER Filed Aug. 5, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent 3,03%,227 REVERSIBLE AUTGMATKC LGCK SLIDER Milton L. Godfrey and .Iarnes L. Vodeniehar, Meadville,

Pa., assignors to Talon, Ina, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Aug. 5, 1%0, Ser. No. 47,860 13 (Iiairns. (Cl. 24-40514) This invention relates to slide fasteners and, particularly, to an improved reversible or double-acting automatic lock slider therefor.

In most lock sliders, the pull or means for operating the lock and for manipulating the slider are disposed on one side thereof and, consequently, accessible from that side of the slider only, which makes such sliders limited in their application. It has been proposed heretofore, to provide a lock-actuating means or pull on each side of the slider so that the slider and locking means may be operated from either side of the fastener so as to provide a reversible or double-acting lock slider.

While various types of reversible or double-acting autom'atic lock sliders, i.e., a slider having a pull or actuating means arranged on either side of the slider so that the fastener can be operated from both sides, have been heretofore suggested and used, they have been in most cases neither satisfactory nor practical. In some oases, such sliders were bulky and fragile, and consisted of a multiplicity of parts which were relatively difficult to fabricate and assemble. In other cases, while such sliders would operate satisfactorily from one side of the slider, the locking means would stick or bind and not operate properly when manipulated by means from the opposite side thereof.

According to the present invention, there is provided a reversible or double-acting automatic lock slider which is strong, rugged and compact in its construction, with the parts thereof being so constructed and arranged that they can be conveniently fabricated and assembled.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an improved lock slider for slide fasteners which can be easily manipulated and unlocked manually from either side thereof so as to provide a reversible or double-acting look slider.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved automatic lock slider of the reversible or doubleacting type which consists of a minimum number of relatively inexpensive parts which can be easily and quickly assembled.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved reversible or double-acting lock slider which is v more positive in its action than other such sliders heretofore suggested and used, whereby the locking means can be effectively unlocked from either side of the slider and, at the same time, will be effectively locked automatically at any point along the fastener.

Various other objects and advantages of this invention will be more apparent in the course of the following specification and will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, there is shown for the purpose of illustration, an embodiment which our invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a slide fastener with which the improved slider of the present invention is incorporated,

FIG. 2 is a plan view of one side of the slider body,

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the opposite side thereof,

FIG. 4 is an end view of the same,

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the completely assembled slider in accordance with the present invention, showing the locking member in its locked position,

3,@38,227 Patented June 12, 1%62 FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view of the slider shown in FIG. 5,

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 6,

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the improved slider of the present invention, similar to FIG. 5, showing the locking member in its unlocked position,

FIG. 9 is a top end view of our improved slider,

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken on line 10-10 of FIG. 8, and

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the locking member.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1, a conventional type slide fastener comprising a series of spaced-apart interlocking fastener elements 2 attached to the opposed beaded edges of a pair of stringer tapes 3. There is mounted on the fastener elements 2, the slider, generally designated at 4, of the present invention for longitudinal movement therealong for engaging and disengaging the fastener elements in a manner well known to those skilled in the art. This slider consists generally of a body member having spaced-apart upper and lower wings 5 and 6, respectively, connected at one end thereof by a neck portion 7 so as to provide substantially a Y-shaped channel 8 within the slider body.

According to the present invention, there is arranged in the outer side of the upper wing 5 centrally thereof, as more clearly shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, a longitudinally extending lug-like portion 9 having a transversely extending opening 10 therein which communicates preferably with an angularly arranged slot 12' in the upper wall of the lugs.

There is provided a cap-like locking member 13 having side walls 14 and an upper end wall 15. Each of the side walls 14 is cut out at the lower edge thereof, as at 16, so as to provide a cam-like lower edge 17 for a purpose hereinafter to be described. On one of the side walls 14, adjacent the lower end thereof, there is arranged a locking prong 18-.

This locking member 13 is disposed over and around the lug-like portion & of the slider body and the side walls 14 are indented, as at 19, so as to provide inwardly extending projecting portions which are disposed in recesses or indentations 24} in either side of the lug-like portion whereby the locking member is pivotally attached thereto. In such position the locking prong 18 extends into and through a rectangular-shaped aperture 18a in the slider wing 5 and into the slider channel 8, as shown more clearly in FIGS. 5, 6, and 7 of the drawings. There is arranged in under the locking member 13* and between the same and the upper surface of the wing 5 on the upper side of the lug-like portion 9, preferably a coil spring 21 for biasing the locking member toward its locked position. There is provided a pull or manipulating member 22 having a transversely extending trunnion portion 23 which is disposed in and extends through the opening 10 in the lug-like portion 9 and is disposed in the recesses 16 in the side walls 14 of the locking'member.

As more clearly shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings, on the opposite side of the slider body centrally thereof, there is provided a longitudinally extending luglike portion 24, similar to the lug-like portion 9, which also has a transversely extending opening 25 therein which communicates preferably with an angularly arranged slot 26 in the upper wall thereof and so as to a provide an'upper wall 30 There is provided a cap-like member 27 having side Walls 28 and an upper end wall 29. Each of the side walls is cut out at the lower edge thereof, as more clearly shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 so as to provide lower cam edges 31. This cap-like member 27 is disposed over and around the lug-like portion 24 and the side walls '28 are indented, as at 33, so as to provide inwardly extending projecting portions which are disposed in recesses or indentations 34 in either side of the lug-like portion 24 whereby this cap-like member likewise is pivotally attached thereto. The lower end of each of the side walls 28 preferably have hook-like projections 35 having cam surfaces 32 on the upper edge thereof which projections extend into slots 36 in the wing 6 to either side of the luglike portion 24, as more clearly shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 7 of the drawings for the purpose of positioning and guiding the cap-like member 27 in its movement.

There is provided another pull or manipulating member 37 having a transversely extending trunnion portion 38 which is disposed in and extends through the opening 25 in the lug-like portion 24 and is disposed in the recesses 30 in the side walls of the cap-like member 27.

As more clearly shown in FIGS. 5, 6, 8, and 9, there is arranged in a vertically extending slot 50 in the upper end of the slider body adjacent the neck portion 7 thereof, a relatively thin link-like or interconnecting member 40 having transversely extending opposed arm-like portions 41 and 42 arranged at each end thereof, so as to provide substantially a T-shaped end portion at each end.

The arm-like or substantially T-shaped portion 41 on one end of this member 40 is disposed under the end of the locking member 13 directly next to the end wall 15 thereof with the arm-like portions 41 pivotally positioned in recesses 43 in the opposed side walls 14 of the locking member. The arm-like or substantially T-shaped portion 42 on the other end of this link-like member 40 is disposed under the end of the cap-like member 27 on the opposite side of the slider body directly next to the end wall 29 thereof with the arm-like portions 42 pivotally disposed in recesses 44 in the opposed side walls 28 of this cap-like member. It will be seen that it is the purpose of this link-like member 40 to interconnect the locking member 13 with the cap-like member 27 so that they will be actuated one by the other in a manner and for a purpose hereinafter to be described.

Having described the construction of the improved automatic lock slider of the present invention, it functions in the following manner.

It will be understood that the locking member 13 and the cap-like member 27 assume normally the positions shown in FIGS. and 6 of the drawings with the locking prong 18 positioned between any two of thefastener elements 2 disposed in the slider channel 8 so as to prevent unintentional movement of the slider along the fastener in a manner well known to those skilled in the art.

When it is desired to open or close the fastener either one of the pull members 22 or 37 are grasped to actuate and move the slider along the fastener elements. That is to say, the slider may be actuated to engage and disengage the fastener elements from either side of the fastener. If the pull member 22 is grasped, which is ordinarily on the outer side of the fastener, the trunnion portion 23 thereof contacts the cam-like edge 17 of the locking member 13, as shown in FIG. 8, thereby moving this locking member about its pivotal connection 19 so that the locking prong 18 carried thereby moves to its retracted portion and out of engagement with the fastener elements in the slider channel. It will be seen that this movement of the locking member 13 is against the action of the coil spring 21 thereby loading the same.

If it is desired to operate the slider from the other or inside of the slider to open the fastener, the pull member 37 is grasped and the trunnion portion 38 thereof contacts the cam edges 32 and the inner wall 30 of the opening in the lug 24, thereby moving the cap-like member 27 about its pivotal connection 33 with the lug 24 as clearly shown in FIG. 8. That is to say, the trunnion portion 38 of the pull member 37 in cooperation with the upper wall 30 of the opening 25 in the lug 24 and the cam surfaces 32 moves the locking member 27 about its pivotal connection at 33 by a wedging action. It will be seen that in such movement of the cap-like member 27 the locking member 13 will also be moved about its pivotal connection 19, due to the action of the interconnecting link-like member 40, thereby moving the locking prong 18 from between the fastener elements in the slider channel and permitting the slider to be moved along the fastener elements. It will be understood that when the pull 37 is grasped to move the slider toward its closed position the locking member 13 together with the locking prong 18 carried thereby automatically moves out of engagement with the fastener elements and thereover by a ratcheting action. When both of the pull members 22 and 37 are released it will be understood that the locking member 13 and the cap-like member 27 will again assume the positions shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

As a result of our invention it will be seen that there is provided a so-called reversible automatic slider i.c., one that can be actuated from either side of the fastener, consisting of a minimum number of parts which can be easily fabricated and assembled.

While we have shown and described an embodiment which our invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this embodiment is merely for the purpose of illustration and description, and that other forms may be devised within the scope of our invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In an automatic lock slider of the class described, a channeled slider body having spaced apart wing portions connected at one end by a neck portion, a lug-like portion arranged on one of said wing portions centrally thereof, a locking member pivotally attached to said luglike portion, said locking member having a locking projection arranged on one end thereof which extends normally into the channel of said slider body, a pull member having a transversely extending trunnion portion disposed in under said locking member with which it cooperates to actuate the same, a lug-like portion arranged on the other wing portion centrally thereof, a movable member pivotally attached to said last mentioned lug-like portion, another pull member having a transversely extending trunnion portion disposed in under said movable member with which it cooperates to actuate the same, said movable member having a hook-like portion arranged on the lower end thereof so as to provide an upper cam surface with which the trunnion portion of said last pull member cooperates to move siad movable member about its pivotal connection in cooperation with said last lug-like portion, an interconnecting member extending between said first locking member and said movable member on the outer side of the neck portion of said slider body and adjacent thereto, means arranged on the end of both of said locking member and said movable member to which the opposed ends of said interconnecting member are movably attached whereby when either the locking member or movable member is moved about its pivotal connection with the respective lug-like portions, the locking projection of said locking member will be moved out of said slider channel to unlocked position.

2. In an automatic lock slider, the combination defined in claim 1, wherein the interconnecting member has a substantially T-shaped end portion arranged on each end thereof with one disposed in a recess in the respective ends of the locking member and the movable member.

3. In an automatic lock slider, the combination defined in claim 1, including a spring for biasing the locking member toward its locked position.

4. In an automatic lock slider, the combination defined in claim 1, including a slot arranged in the outer side of said slider body adjacent said neck portion in which said interconnecting member is movably disposed.

5. In an automatic lock slider of the class described, a channeled slider body having spaced apart wing portions connected at one end by a neck portion, an elongated lug-like portion arranged on one of said wing portions centrally thereof, a cap-like locking member disposed over and around said lug-like portion and being pivotally attached thereto, said locking member having a locking projection arranged on one end thereof which extends normally into the channel of said slider body, a pull member having a transversely extending trunnion portion disposed in an opening in said lug-like portion and in under said locking member with which it cooperates to actuate the same, a lug-like portion arranged on the other wing portion centrally thereof, a movable member pivotally attached to said second lug-like portion, another pull member having a transversely extending trunnion portion disposed in under said movable member with which it cooperates to actuate the same, said movable member having a hook-like portion arranged on the lower end thereof so as to provide an upper cam surface with which the trunnion portion of said last pull member cooperates to move said movable member about its pivotal connection in cooperation with said last luglike portion, an interconnecting member extending between said cap-like member and said movable member on the outer side of the neck portion of said slider body and adjacent thereto, means arranged on the end of both of said cap-like member and said movable member to which the opposed ends of said interconnecting member are movably attached whereby when either the cap-like locking member or movable member is moved about its pivotal connections with the respective lug-like portions, the locking projection of said cap-like locking member will be moved out of said slider channel to unlocked position.

6. In an automatic lock slider, the combination defined in claim 5, wherein the interconnecting member has a substantially T-shaped end portion arranged on each end thereof with one disposed in a recess in the respective ends of the locking member and the movable member.

7. In an automatic lock slider, the combination defined in claim 5, including a spring for biasing the locking member toward its locked position.

8. In an automatic lock slider, the combination defined in claim 5, including a slot arranged in the outer side of said slider body adjacent said neck portion in which said interconnecting member is movably disposed.

9. In an automatic lock slider of the class described, a channeled slider body having spaced apart wing portions connected at one end by a neck portion, an elongated lug-like portion arranged on one of said wing portions centrally thereof, a cap-like locking member disposed over and around said lug-like portion and being pivotally attached thereto, said locking member having a locking projection arranged on one end thereof which extends normally into the channel of said slider body, a pull member having a transversely extending trunnion portion disposed in an opening in said lug-like portion and in under said locking member with which it cooperates to actuate the same, a similar elongated luglike portion arranged on the other wing portion centrally thereof, a cap-like movable member disposed over and around said lug-like portion and 'being pivotally attached thereto, another pull member having a transversely extending trunnon portion disposed in a slotted opening in said last mentioned lug-like portion and in under said last mentioned cap-like member with which it cooperates to actuate the same, said movable member having a hooklike portion arranged on the lower end thereof so as to provide an upper cam surface with which the trunnion portion of said last pull member cooperates to move said movable member about its pivotal connection in cooperation with said lug-like portion, an interconnecting member extending between said first cap-like member and said second cap-like member on the outer side of the neck portion of said slider body and adjacent thereto, means arranged on the end of both of said cap-like mem bers to which the opposed ends of said interconnecting member are movably attached whereby when either one of the cap-like members is moved about its pivotal connection with the respective lug-like portions, the locking projection of said cap-like locking member will be moved out of said slider channel to unlocked position.

10. In an automatic lock slider, the combination defined in claim 9, wherein the interconnecting member has a substantially T-shaped end portion arranged on each end thereof with one disposed in a recess in the ends of the respective cap-like members.

11. In an automatic lock slider, the combination defined in claim 9, including a spring for biasing the locking member toward its locked position.

12. In an automatic lock slider, the combination defined in claim 9, including a slot arranged in the outer side of said slider body adjacent the neck portion in which said interconnecting member is movably disposed.

13. In an automatic lock slider of the class described, a channeled slider body having spaced apart wing portions connected at one end by a neck portion, an elongated lug-like portion arranged on one of said wing portions centrally thereof, a cap-like locking member disposed over and around said lug-like portion and being pivotally attached thereto, said locking member having a locking projection arranged on one end thereof which extends normally into the channel of said slider body, a pull member having a transversely extending trunnion portion disposed in an opening in said lug-like portion and in under said locking member with which it cooperates to actuate the same, a similar elongated luglike portion arranged on the other Win'g portion centrally thereof, a cap-like movable member disposed over and around said lug-like portion and being pivotally attached thereto, another pull member having a transversely extending trunnion portion disposed in a slotted opening in said last mentioned lug-like portion and in under said last mentioned cap-like member with which it cooperates to actuate the same, said cap-like movable member having a pair of substantially parallel side walls with one arranged on either side of said second lug-like portion, a hook-like portion arranged on the lower end of each of said side walls in opposed relation so as to provide an upper cam surface on each, the trunnion portion of said second pull member adapted to cooperate with both said cam surfaces and the inner Wall of said opening in said second lug-like portion to move said cap-like members, about their pivotal connections, an inter-connecting member extending between said first cap-like member and said second cap-like member on the outer side of the neck portion of said slider body and adjacent thereto, means arranged on the end of both of said cap-like members to which the opposed ends of said inter-connecting member member are pivotally attached whereby when either one of the cap-like members is moved about its pivotal connection with the respective lug-like portions, the locking projection of said cap-like locking member Will be moved out of said slider channel to unlocked position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,405,883 Gould Aug. 13, 1946 2,423,210 Ulrich July 1, 1947 2,799,070 Weber July 16, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,059,127 France Mar. 23, 1954 1,190,858 France Oct. 15, 1959 

